Stretcher.



P. SHAPAC.

STRETCHER. APPLICATION man SEPT. 5. 1911.

Patented May 21,1918.

MN 7 H w *p amEhri ml hlb ll new sn re or menace... QQLQBAIDO- iamese- To all whomttmag concern:

' Be it known that -I-, PAUL; SHArAo, a subject of the King of Hung-ary, residing at Tabasco, in the county of-Las fAnimas and State of -Golo-rado, have invented certain newiand useful Improvements innStretchers,

of whichthe following is a specification.

The primary object of the invention is to provide. an ambulance stretcher of the folding type, -pr eferabl-y formed of three sections-embodyinga-m'iddle section and two end sections,- with-the end sections-folding in opposite directions to Iieadjacent to and parallelv'with the middle section, whereby the device -.-when 'folded and out of use, as for storingor expressing, the same will utilize a minimum of space.

ih-fl l1tl18l object of the invention is to proride a stretcher of the fol'ding type 'consisti-ng principally ofa pair of parallel side rails braced and reinforced in a peculiar unanner to-present a practical rigid construction-from a skeleton frame. I

' with the above general objects in view and othersthatwill appear as'the nature of the; invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination-and-arrangement of parts to be hereinafter 1 -more iully described, claimed. inthe accompanying'drawingyjforming a and then part of this application and wherein like designating characters refer tocorresponding parts'thronghout the several views,

CF-igurcl is"a-'side;elevational view of a stretcher constructed-in accordance with the present inventionand in operative position.

'Figa2 is a-top-planview of the same show I ing the permanent and deta'chablehinge connections between thejsections.

Fig: 3 is-a-side elevationalview of the a stretcher in folded position.

' 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1 showingthe brace connections-between-the side bars.

. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line V--V ofiiFig. 2 showing the permanent and .detachable hinge connections between the connections of the side rails, and

Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective viewof one of the permanent hinge connections between adjacent sections of one of the side rails, and also illustrating the cross braces between the rails.

Briefly described, the invention consists of a stretcher embodying a pair of side bars firea q tiq ilettet rliat t Patented May 21,,19 1c, lipplication filed September 5,1917. Serial 1106189370..

oi-rails, each railpreferablyabeing formed of threesections, w th the adjacent endsections folding" in andirection opposite toithe otherend sections whereby the device when folded will occupy a minimum of space.

panying drawing, the reference numeral 10 deslgnatesthem ddle sections of the side rails, having connected thereto the end sections 11. A fiexible covering 12, such as canvas, is stretched over the opposite sections of the side rails 10 and 11 and secured thereto in amanner to be presently described.

The sections 10 and 11 of the side rails are connected by. permanent hinged joints 13 positioned at opposite faces of? the side bars so thatthe end sections 11 of the sidebars are caused to fold in opposite direction and lie. superposed on opposite sides. of the mid- ;dle sections 10. As clearlyshown in Fig. 6, the hinges=13 embody .a pair of plates 14 permanently secured asat 15 to the side rail sections ldand 11, the plates 14 having the usual hinge pintleconnection.16 as: is illustrated. The sides of the railsJlOopposite to the hinges 1 3 are provided with detachable connecting.members, the same .being more -clearly-sh0wn 1n F1gs.I2 and 5, and each embodles a pair of plates 17 secured to the adjacent ends of the rail sectionsild. and.11

T while the adjacent edges ofithelplates 17 are constructed similar. toahinger joint having registering barrel port1ons18, .asclearly shown in .Fig. 2 .to receive the endof a swing- .i ing hook 19'pivotallymounted. as ati20 on the adjacent side ofthe middle rail sections. 10.

The hooks 19 are preferably formed of resilient material so'that the same have a binding action with the barrel portions 18 of the hinge plates 17 thereby to secure the sections 10 and 11 in their operative arrangement as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in a practically rigid condition.

In order to hold the side rail sections in rigidly spaced relations to each other, there -;,Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ;.is-? permanently secured to the side rails.

v- The end rail sections 11 are spaced and zbrace'd inma similar manner by the translsw'vers'e bars v24: having their angularly bent ends v25 secured in a; similar manner as at .23 to the rail sections 11, and as shown in @Fig. fi the end 25 of the bar 24 and the attaching straps 22 of the plate 21 overlie the zo-hinge'nplates 1 1 of the hinge 13, this ar- 1 rangement presenting a positive lock bes1 .I'tween the? side rails as well as holding the same in permanently spaced relation.

It will be understood that in use with 25-the stretcher that the middle section will be subject to a greater amount of weight and 3 :strain and therefore the braces 21 are made of arelatively wide material and have the ends thereof bifurcated so as to provide =pairsoffiattaching straps so as to reinforce and strengthen the section and fasten the fabric Tcovering permanently to the side railstf l Fromthe above detailed description of the construction of thisdevice, it is thought thatthe operation thereof is readily ap- 1; parent, it being noted that in folding the stretcher from the position shown in Fig. 1 .ito thatshown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary 40 to remove the resilient catch hooks 19 from 'themembers 18, whereupon the end sections r11 are-permitted to fold in opposite direcsons to lie parallel and adjacent to the mid- :zdle' section 10.

-7Whilethe form of the invention herein oshown'and described is what is believed to 2 f? be the preferable embodiment thereof, it is to bezunderstood that various changes may .ibemade in the detalls of construction with- :;ont' departing from the spirit and scope of igthe invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is :1: An ambulance stretcher including side Grails, each formed of three sections, the end 5 5 sections opposlng each other being hinged rails, each formed ofthree sections, the end sections opposing each other being hinged to opposite sides of the nilddle sections and 1 adapted to swing in opposite directions to lie substantially parallel and adjacent to the middle sections, means carried by the faces of the rail sections opposite the hinge connections for locking the sections in their operative arrangement, the said means including plates having registering barrel portions and spring hooks swingingly carried by the side rails wedgingly received in said registering barrel portions.

3. A stretcher including side rails formed of foldable sections, a fabric covering for each section and transverse braces arranged between the sides of said sections having strap-shaped ends secured to the inner and outer sides of said rails to reinforce the sections and secure the fabric to the side rails.

4. A stretcher including side rails formed of foldable sections and transverse braces extending between said side rails to hold the same in spaced parallel rigid position, the ends of certain of said braces being bifurcated.

5. A stretcher including side rails formed of foldable sections and transverse braces extending between said side rails to hold the same in spaced parallel rigid position, certain of said braces being relatively wide and having bifurcated ends.

6. A stretcher including side rails formed of foldable sections and transverse braces extending between said side rails to hold the same in spaced parallel rigid position, certain of said braces being relatively Wide and having bifurcated ends, the ends of all of said braces permanently straddling the side rail sections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PAUL SHAPAC.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

